Sir,
 I respectfully appeal to you in the matter of the Virginius Ind.[emnity] Fund.
 I am the widow of Joseph Fry, Captain of the Steamer Virginius when that steamer was captured off the coast of Cuba, in Nov. 1874 by a Spanish war vessel – taken into port at Santiago de Cuba and with thirty six of his crew, executed on the 7th of Nov. 1874.
 Spain paid to the U. States Government a certain amount as indemnity for the execution of Capt. Fry and his crew. In 1875 those heirs of the men executed, who presented their claims, were paid by the Government a certain portion of this Ind. Fund – retaining the balance in case other claimants should present themselves.
 In this division I received, as the widow of Captain Fry, Six Thousand dollars. It has been several years since the last claim was presented and from the fact of the small number of the crew who were executed thirty seven in all for the benefit of whose heirs the “Virginius Ind. Fund” was paid, and that the heirs were well acquainted with the fact of Spain having paid the U. States this money for their benefit. If they have not to the present time submitted their claims there can be no possible or probable chance that any additional claimants will ever present themselves.
 I therefore respectfully appeal to you, that you will have this matter examined into, that Justice may be done me and my children who are sadly in need of the money justly due them, and which is now lying in the U.S. Treasury by ordering it distributed as the Government intended when Spain was required to pay it for their benefit.
 I have the honor to be your obedient servant
                                                                                                                                                                                            Agnes E. Fry